by Orr, Krystal
Arizira allowed several moments to pass while she listened intently. Faint sounds could be heard coming from above. Voices were speaking but their words were muffled. Turning to look back at Talliea, she paused when she realized how close the other woman was. Her companion's nearness set Arizira's body aflame with sensations.
"Your people are sharing space with us, Tah-li. They now venture where we have parted." Talliea's body seemed to sink into itself as tension sprang inside her. She was suddenly fully aware of the trouble she'd gotten herself into and in no way found it amusing. What was wrong with her? She was acting rashly, even for her! Her life may not have been ideal, but it did offer stability. Her late night excursions and obsession with a woman she barely knew, let alone understood, had landed her in a world of uncertainty.
Yet...
Despite knowing the dangers, the thrill and excitement in the whole matter could not be denied. Talliea found her time with Arizira exhilarating. The bright glow of Arizira's eyes was looking back at her, and their shine offered Talliea a brief bit of illumination. Her entire body was flush against the smaller woman's back and her right hand was still confidently held in Arizira's left. "What do we do?" she asked, speaking as softly as she could.
Arizira listened a moment more. One voice, deeper than the other, exclaimed about something she could not make out. Footsteps picked up once again and grew louder by the second. "They have grown agitated," she said, staring into Talliea's eyes. "Their steps are heavy and move with purpose. They are coming."
* * * * * *
Markahn entered the cave and moved cautiously inside. The light glowing about his body afforded him an unchecked view of the interior. A few paces in front of him, he noticed what looked like a recent fire. Stepping closer, he paused when he heard Lao'dahn step behind him. "This cave has been used before," Lao'dahn noted.
"It would appear that way. Have any of our men come this far?" Lao'dahn shrugged. "I am unsure. Only a few small scouting parties have attempted to spread into the woods." Markahn grunted and turned back around. He stepped once again in the direction of the fire pit he'd noticed. A deep shallow had been dug into the dirt and several smooth faced rocks and stones encircled the area. The smell of smoke dying away assaulted his nostrils.
"A fire burned here not long ago," he said. Lao'dahn looked around the low walls of the cave wearily. Slipping his hand behind his back, he deftly removed the long bo-staff that hung there. "None of the Lat'sa'val have been out tonight," he said, eyes still taking in every shadow and curve of his surroundings.
Markahn held his hands over the forgotten fire and studied the area with the light provided. He noticed a tall torch set into the ground, its life also having been snuffed. Someone had been in the cave.
Recently.
Very recently.
They could very well still be in the cave. Looking around on the floor bed of the cave, Markahn scanned the vicinity for any footprints. Very quickly, he noticed an unusual set. They were not deep, nor were they easily read, but they were present. The person they belonged to appeared to have shuffled and moved around nervously. Could it have been Talliea? Had she ventured out into the storm and sought shelter in the cave? If she had, where was she now?
Markahn followed the few fleeting prints in the dirt until they stopped suddenly a little further into the back of the cave. "Someone was here. The tracks are hard to read, but they lead in this direction. Come! It could be Talliea."
* * * * * *
"They will overtake us ere we depart," Arizira said and her voice was anxious. She turned her head back and perused the unyielding tunnel around them. A short way in front of her the path split. One way led them into a slightly larger tunnel that would eventually meet the other side of the cave. The other way was a dead end. It was barely high enough to walk through and its sides were more narrow than her current shaft. It also was covered in a great darkness, deeper than normal night, and held a small niche that rock shielded against unwary intruders.
She heard the footsteps of the Esu drawing ever closer and a soft light could just faintly be made out by her perceptive eyes. Quickly, she made a decision and prayed for the best. Ensuring her hold on Talliea's wrist, Arizira tugged the other woman with her in the direction of the dead end path. She heard a slight gasp from Talliea but continued to force them through the tight gap and into the well-placed niche.
There was barely any room for her chest to breathe as she found herself completely against Talliea's front. Leaning forward a small amount, she brought her mouth to the other woman's ear. "We must remain very silent. If they pass this way, our fortune will hold if we draw no attention to ourselves. My eyes will lead them to this section. It will be dark, Tah-li, but I have you. Fear not."
Arizira closed her eyes and the two of them were thrown into complete darkness. Dropping her head, Arizira allowed it to come to a rest on Talliea's shoulder. She opened up her other senses and kept the one arm she could still move wrapped around the Esu woman's waist. The quick thrum of the Esu woman's heart was pounding into her own chest, and she could feel shallow breaths as Talliea fought to keep her breathing under control. The footsteps came closer and no longer sounded muffled. A soft light flared just outside where she and Talliea stood. Arizria, with her eyes still closed, could not see the light fully but was aware of its existence.
Talliea's heart quickened and she felt Arizira gently squeeze her hip. Feeling the Arniran so very close to her, and having her pressed so intimately against her body, was doing strange, yet wonderful, things to her. Talliea could not name the sensations she was experiencing, but she knew she was enjoying them. A sudden voice intruded upon her thoughts.
"Do you see anything?" Lao'dahn asked. Markahn peered into the farthest reaches of the cave that his light provided him. The tunnel they were in was narrow and confining and extremely restricting. His tall frame could not stand upright and he already had difficulty turning around. "No, no...I see nothing. Whoever was in the cave must have long since departed. She did not come this way."
Talliea bit her lip to hold in her gasp of surprise. She recognized the voice of the second person. It was Markahn. He knew she was missing! Her sense of dread rose tenfold. Conflicting emotions coursed through her. Excitement warred with anxiety while despair raged against apprehension. She could feel Arizira's hair as it tickled her nose and smell the calm, woodsy scent. The other woman's head on her shoulder stoked an unknown flame deep within her. Being crammed into a tiny niche, barely able to breathe or move, was less than her idea of a grand time, but being so wonderfully close to Arizira somehow made up for that in small measure.
"We should return to camp. Perhaps she has returned or been found by another," Lao'dahn suggested. Markahn looked around one last time before sighing and turning to follow his friend back up to the center of the cave.
Arizira remained as she was for another long pause. She followed the sounds of the two Esu's footsteps until she could no longer hear them. Opening her eyes, she blinked a few times and looked up at Talliea. The other woman was biting her lower lip and a stricken look marred her features. Arizira moved and slowly eased away from her. "I will lead you back to your people. Mayhap they will arrive once you are safely back."
Talliea nodded but did not move. "They did not notice our presence, Tah-li. I will have you back soon. Tell them you were out by the stream that runs along the western edge of your settlement." Talliea turned her head to look at Arizira. How much did the Arniran know about her people's whereabouts? She had yet to learn if there were any other Arnira in the area. The only thing that kept her to the belief that there was, was Arizira's talk of 'her people'. She did not speak of them in a passing manner, nor did she come across as one who had lived alone for many seasons. She spoke of her people in a way that led Talliea to believe that there was a whole community of Arnira somewhere in the forest. A tribe.
Arizira speaking of the stream the women of the Esu used for bathing told Talliea that she had been wat
ching their campsite. How many others knew of her people's existence? Was she endangering her clan by refusing to let her curiosity over Arizira die away? A hand on hers brought her out of herself. "Come, failira, the way is not far off."
Talliea allowed herself to be led through the darkness. She did not speak again, nor did she ask what Arizira had called her. Her thoughts were heavy as she moved closer to her camp. Once at the end of the tunnel, Arizira helped her out of the cave and showed her a thin path that would lead her back down among her people.
"Take heart, Tah-li. All hope is not yet fled from the world." Turning around, Talliea took in Arizira's features. She appeared conflicted. "Will I see you again?" she asked. Arizira smiled. "Is that your heart's wish?"
A blush, but silence.
"I will find you, Tah-li, if my world you still desire to see." Talliea nodded and turned to follow the trail with her eyes. It would be easy enough to sneak back into the camp without unwanted eyes gazing upon her. She could tell Markahn and the others that she had been bathing and decided to follow the trail into the woods out of curiosity. They would be slightly upset, but most likely chalk it up to her simply being her.
"Ari, I--" Turning to where the Arniran had been, Talliea realized that the other woman was gone. She had disappeared in the night.
Chapter 9: Places of Concern
The following days proved to be trying times for both Talliea and Arizira, though for different reasons. The Arnira began their annual winter preparations: increasing their food supply, mending and re-lining thick and sturdy articles of clothing, sharpening blades and tightening bow strings and such. Many winters Arizira's tribe had seen and each woman knew her part well to ensure the overall survival of the tribe.
Arizira, with the extra demands her calling required, had been unable to search for Talliea. Each time she'd thought of losing herself in the forest, one of the other hunters had required her aid or the Elders had tasked her with added duties. Many times, she'd thought of Talliea and wondered how things had gone once the other woman had returned to her people.
Looking down at the heavy blanket in her lap, she smiled. Though she was in no way a outfitter of any ability she did, like most Arnira, know the basics of the skill. It was required learning for all Arniran children. The winter did not play favorites or deal out any grand gestures. One caught out without proper warmth one would soon find an early death for their insolence.
The blanket she was working on was thick, soft, and made from the hides and fur of two white wolves. She had hunted the pair over the course of several days and followed their movements. Bringing them down with her ashwood bow had been easily accomplished. The others of the tribe had remarked upon her skill and thanked her for the added provisions.
Arizira planned on presenting the blanket to Talliea. She had noticed the wolf hide cloak the other woman wore from their last meeting, and hoped the wolf was a symbol of some kind. Perhaps Talliea felt an affinity to the animal or thought the wolf a powerful protector? Holding the blanket up to eye level, Arizira checked the seams and ran her hands along the underside to check for even texture. It wasn't anything remarkable, not of old Cynra's skill for sure, but it would provide much needed warmth to Talliea with the approaching winter.
* * * * * *
Talliea had followed the westward trail down along the gurgling stream and entered her clan's camp without being noticed. She had made a show of pretending to have been bathing and, once discovered by Markahn and Lao'dahn, confessed to them that she had been exploring the area and gotten away from herself.
The story had been easily believed by Markahn, who had taken her into his embrace and thanked Esuval for keeping her safe. After scolding her for her carelessness, he had kissed her and walked her back to her dugout. Talliea, upon passing Lao'dahn, had noticed the dark and drawn expression on the young man's face and shivered against Markahn's side.
Lao'dahn had not believed her tale.
Nine days passed in a slow and painful turn for Talliea. She was closely watched and her mother set her extra chores to be about. The days bled into one another while her nights were filled with Markahn's hands exploring her body. Though the two of them, by Esu law, could not lay together as a man and a woman until they were joined, Markahn took every opportunity he could to feel her skin and caress her breasts and thighs and show her all the benefits of becoming his mate.
She hated every minute of it. Markahn was never rough with her. He never touched her directly between her legs or forced himself upon her in too intrusive a manner. He kissed her, and ran his hands along her breasts, and let her feel his arousal against her thighs and with her hands.
Though she despised the entire act, there was little she could do about it. As a woman, it was not her place to deny a man, especially the man who had claimed her as his mate. So for over a week, Talliea suffered through Markahn's nightly visits and hoped she would eventually learn to enjoy them. Ever her thoughts were cast upon Arizira. She wondered where the other woman was. She wondered if Arizira had ever been touched against her wishes or forced to participate in something that made her feel ill.
Recalling the few times Arizira had touched her, Talliea wondered how different it might feel to be caressed by a woman instead of a man.
* * * * * *
On the tenth night following her return to camp, Talliea was lying in her dwelling lost in her thoughts. Markahn had yet to show up and she found herself grateful that her body was still her own. It was late and sleep was heavy in her eyes. Just as she was about to drift off, thinking Markahn had decided to let her be, firelight suddenly drifted into the room as the oiled hide covering her doorway was yanked open.
She turned her head, expecting to see Markahn, and was surprised to look into Lao'dahn's smoky eyes. "What are you doing he--" she started, but he was upon her in a flash. He clamped his large hand over her mouth and settled himself across her hips. His free hand grabbed her right arm and slammed it into the ground, effectively pinning her beneath him.
"Who are you to question my movements?" he spat into her face. She struggled against him and felt hot tears prick the corners of her eyes. "How dare you think you can speak as if you are my equal! You are a woman! Why Markahn insists on putting up with you is beyond my thought. You forget your place, but I will remind you!"
His words were spoken with barely restrained vehemence. They sparked fear and panic inside Talliea's stomach at a vivid level. She tried to move her left arm, but Lao'dahn leaned forward and the arm keeping her mouth shut cut off her efforts. She felt him become aroused and a new wave of panic washed over her.
"You think you're so very clever, don't you? We have been aware of your sneaking off into the woods." Her eyes widened. Did they know about Arizira? "Oh, yes, we've watched you leave many times. Where your feet take you we are unaware."
Talliea felt a minute bit of her anxiety fade away. The Lat'sa'val did not know about Arizira. That at least gave her a small amount of comfort. "Who do you think you are?" Lao'dahn asked. "You are a woman! You are no different than cattle! Your existence is to service us! I've watched Markahn summer after summer wait for you! You!"
Lao'dahn rocked his hips and she felt his erection push against her. Her stomach twisted itself into deep knots and new tears fell from her eyes. She could not believe what was happening. Lao'dahn could not take her. He would be banished for having relations with her since another man, Markahn, had already clamied her. Unless he challenged Markahn's claim, Lao'dahn was in violation of Esu law. What was he thinking?
"You're a beautiful woman, Talliea. I'll give you that. It is your mouth that gives you trouble. You use it too often and not in a way that is enjoyable. I won't allow you to continue to defy Esuval. You need to be reminded of your place."
Talliea continued to struggle against his grip and managed to free Lao'dahn's hand from her mouth. "Y-you can not do this. Markahn will have you banished," she cried, her voice thick. Lao'dahn laughed at her and used the hand that
had been covering her mouth to reach down and roughly squeeze her breasts. He rocked his hips against her again in a forceful thrust. "You feel that? That is the power of Esuval, woman. It lives in us. In men! As a woman, you can not fully appreciate that power, even when we mate with you, but, I'll show you."
Talliea watched as he reached down to his pants and pulled loose the strings around his waist. "Don't think about calling for help. I will tell Markahn that you came to me. Who do you think he will believe? A whore who can not do as she should or a man of the Light?" Talliea knew he was correct. Everyone in the clan believed that she was a problem for many. Her refusal to join with Markahn summer after summer had branded her a near heretic. None would believe that Lao'dahn, so adored, would have forced himself on her.
"That's it. You're learning your place," he said, rising up slightly to lower his pants around his thighs. Talliea felt bile rise in her throat when Lao'dahn's erection stood between them. She did not know what he intended, but the powerlessness that she felt was enough to cause her tears. Lao'dahn grabbed his length in his hand and used his other to grasp her around the neck. She struggled to breathe through his tight grip and turned her head to shut her eyes.
Lao'dahn squeezed her throat tighter. "You will keep your eyes upon me. Do you understand?" he rasped angrily. She swallowed as best she could and nodded. Never in her life had she felt so alone and humiliated. Markahn touching her was bad enough, but he never made her feel like Lao'dahn was. He was trying to strip her of her independence, her dignity. He was forcing himself on her and degrading her just because she had been unfortunate enough to be born a woman.
For her free thought and free will, she was being punished by a man who sought to teach her her "place." Lao'dahn looked down at her, his hand still grabbing himself, and began to pump his length hard and fast. She watched him rock against her, each movement bringing his erection closer. Each harsh thrust roughly pressed her back into the cold dirt. His hand on her throat kept her from moving away and repulsion flared inside her in a hot wave. Though she'd felt Markahn's erection against her before, she'd never had it so close.